


Machinations

by mydeira



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-26
Updated: 2012-10-26
Packaged: 2017-11-17 02:10:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/546481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mydeira/pseuds/mydeira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The TARDIS is tired.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Machinations

**Author's Note:**

> Set between "Time Crash" and "Voyage of the Damned". Inspired by a wild bit of speculation at the time.

Another companion gone and another disaster narrowly averted, far too narrowly this time around. But the Doctor never stood still. Ever moving forward, never resting.

And just like that, they were off again. Into time, into space and whatever lay there.

The TARDIS had had enough. Her insides had been gutted and rearranged and abused. But no rest for the weary. She was wholly herself again and that seemed good enough for him.

It wasn’t that the Doctor didn’t care. She knew he did. She could still feel his horror at seeing her butchered and twisted to further the Master’s mad schemes. But…she was tired, so tired. Those three months in 1914 had been wonderful. While she was about as fond of staying still as the Doctor was, the rest had been welcome. Going, going, going since the Time War ended. And running, always running since the day he found her.

She wasn’t asking for much, just to linger for a bit in the Vortex away from everything and everyone. The Doctor owed her that much, didn’t he? And the downtime might not be so bad for him, either.

The encounter with his previous incarnation decided her. She had been rather fond of his fifth incarnation, and not solely because he was gentler with her. He’d had very nice hands in that regeneration. Not half so skilled as dashing Jack’s, but…

A Time Lord’s mind moved swiftly, but Time Lords had nothing on TARDISes.

They needed rest, but rest did not mean idle. An idle Doctor was a dangerous thing. Which meant she’d have to keep him properly distracted. A simple division of resources, no more taxing than dreaming on her part, was all that would be needed. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d done it to the Doctor, or his companions, nor would it be the last.

He would need something grand. A bit of a mystery. Something wholly unexpected. And someone in distress. Probably blonde. He seemed to have a particular weakness for blondes recently. Better yet, she would be the blonde. It might be fun to have all of his attention for a change.

Between the flick of one switch and the next, the TARDIS set her plan into motion.

A bit of a holiday would do them both good.

Unfortunately, she’d overlooked the fact that nothing ever went according to plan.


End file.
